China is planning to expand its environmental inspection reach to all 34 provinces nationwide this year instead of the usual 15, local media reported on Monday citing the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP).
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According to state-backed Xinhua News agency, each region will be checked by MEP’s environmental inspectors who will also push local government officials to carry out their duties. China launched the initiative last year, dispatching inspection teams to 15 provincial areas including Beijing and Shanghai.
In 2016, a total of 440 million yuan (about $64 million) worth of fines was collected and at least 33,000 cases of environmental-related anomalies were investigated. Of which, 720 people were detained and about 6,500 individuals were held responsible of the wrongdoing.
